COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kelsey Bone had a successful return to South Carolina, with the Texas A&M junior making the game-winning basket with 8.7 seconds remaining as the 14th-ranked Aggies defeated the No. 15 Gamecocks 50-48 on Sunday.

Bone was the Southeastern Conference's newcomer of the year in 2010 when she was a South Carolina freshman, a celebrated, centerpiece recruit to coach Dawn Staley's young program. But after a year, Bone was homesick and chose to spend the rest of her college years with the Aggies.

Bone's progress has continued. She stood second in the SEC in scoring and rebounding and has Texas A&M (19-5, 9-1) fighting for a league championship in the Aggies' debut conference season. Still, it was an emotional return to the Colonial Life Arena.

“My decision to leave was about me,” Bone said. “But coming back, I had the utmost respect for everybody involved. That's the same coaching staff that recruited me and some of the same players I played with.”

Bone overcame the Gamecocks' defense — South Carolina leads the SEC in fewest points allowed — pushing the Aggies to their seventh straight win. Bone scored 13 points and added 15 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the year and her fourth in SEC play.

“For me, it was a little bit emotional, but I had to focus on the team I came into town with, and our biggest goal was to get another SEC road win for our onward march to our goal of SEC championships,” she said.

Bone went more than 12 minutes in the second half without taking a shot and later crashed hard to the floor with her head slamming against the court. But Bone got up and got focused. Her basket with 4:58 to go began Texas A&M's 8-1 run to end the game. Khadijah Sessions made a foul shot for South Carolina to tie things a final time at 48-all and set up Bone's final basket.

Bone rebounded Adrienne Pratcher's 3-point miss and confidently went up for the basket.

The Gamecocks (20-4, 8-3) had a chance to answer back, but the 3-point attempt of Ieasia Walker — Bone's former South Carolina roommate — was off target.